Cosmopolitan online entrepreneur Kinson from @kinsonsworld calls the leading luxury hotels of the world his home – explore some of Greece’s most stunning properties in his travel diary for The Asia Collective!
PAROS – Mr. and Mrs. White Hotel
After spending a week in Santorini, we are off to Paros (only a 2 hour ferry ride away!). Paros is a hidden gem yet to be influxed with crowds as its’ best known for beaches and traditional villages. This was a much needed getaway from the busy, touristy streets of Santorini as September is still very much busy season for the highly sought after honeymoon island.
Upon arrival to the ferry port of Parikia – we took a quick taxi ride to the picturesque fishing town of Naoussa. For the next few days, we will be staying at one of the Small Leading Luxury Hotels of the World. Recently renovated in a sophisticated black & white theme, this property is aptly named Mr. & Mrs. White Hotel.
After a swift check in and light refreshment, we were shown our room which was decorated in airy white decor with soft grey shutters & balcony doors. It was the perfect sight for sunkissed and tired eyes. We were so tempted to spend the next three hot, sunny days lounging by the pools and snacking on delicious Greek salad. However, we decided to commit one full day to seeing the rest of the island!
The staff was incredibly helpful with suggestions on places we should definitely check out and restaurants to visit. They also helped arrange an ATV for us which I highly recommend as the best way to see and get around the island. The best part about driving an ATV in Paros vs. Santorini/Mykonos is that the roads are much less congested with little traffic & there are more straight roads (which is helpful especially for novice riders). Be prepared to take in the extremely scenic landscape while driving around the island; ranging from mountain views and valleys to coastline.
3 reasons why we recommend staying at Mr & Mrs White Hotel:
-
Conveniently located 5 minute drive from the Old Port of Naoussa (littered with countless boutiques, cafes & restaurants). Bonus – hotel has a parking lot and offers free parking for guests!
-
Amazing buffet breakfast with wide selection of food and beverage.
-
Two swimming pools to choose from with ample choice of sunbeds, loungers. Plus bonus bar by the pool where snacks can also be served.
Our favourite places to eat in Naoussa:
-
Barbarossa or BlueFish for beautiful views of the marina and fresh seafood
-
Pizzarella for brick oven pizza
Venturing out of Naoussa on our ATV, we discovered these places worth visiting:
-
Swimming in the refreshing Aegean sea at one of the many beaches.
-
Wandering the streets of Parikia Town which is reminiscent of Mykonos Town with iconic blue doors, shops & cafes.
- Taking a stroll in Lefkes which is also a beautiful village with narrow streets and old churches.
MYKONOS – Grecotel Mykonos Blu
Mykonos is well known for its’ party scene and nightlife however some of the most luxurious and amazing properties are also located on this island. This will be our second time visiting Mykonos in less than a year however, this time we were lucky enough to stay at the highly raved Grecotel Mykonos Blu. We loved the direct access the hotel offered to the famous Psarrou Beach – think crystal clear water and soft golden sand.
The moment you arrive at the property, your bags are taken inside and you’re introduced to an all-white reception area. The staff immediately treated us to “bottle service” of 5 different fresh beverages to choose from. One of the most special moments we experienced was being brought to our room – the Luna Blu Suite Private Heated Indoor Pool. We were treated to champagne, welcome fruits and desserts but we couldn’t take our eyes off the pool inside our room (pretty much right in front of the bed!). This was not a dip pool but a full blown swimming pool. The open concept room was decorated in all white decor and a folding floor-to-ceiling glass door separated the indoor pool from our bedroom. We’ve stayed in over 60 properties in the last year however this was something truly extravagant.
Not only did we have our own private indoor pool, Mykonos Blu also has a 2 level infinity main pool if you wanted to cool off during hot afternoons while watching the private yachts cruise by. Let the pictures speak for itself!
A complimentary shuttle takes guests from the hotel to Mykonos town which is super convenient to avoid long wait times for taxis. While in Mykonos, a “must do” is exploring the white & blue boutique lined streets. A trip to Mykonos is not complete if you don’t take a stroll along “Little Venice”! The best time to go is before sunset so you can make sure you have good seats to watch the sunset behind the 5 windmills of Mykonos.
Notable places to go in Mykonos:
-
Scorpios for fun
-
Mykonos Town for eating & shopping
CRETE – Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas
Our final stop in Greece was Crete – the largest and most populous of the Greek Islands. Although we spent almost a week here, we decided to stay on one side of the island in Heraklion rather than commuting to Chania as it would take at least a few hours. Through our travels, we prefer not to rush through new destinations just to see everything and leave something to be desired so we can always plan another trip back in the future!
Arriving in Heraklion port, we took a taxi for almost an hour to Elounda; a small town on the northern coast of Crete. Elounda is a famous tourist attraction frequented by VIPs for its seaside luxury resorts. During this ride, the landscape was noticeably different as there was a huge range between mountains and beaches.
We spent the following two nights at Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas, situated in a unique waterfront location and is one of the leading hotels of the world. They offer seven types of accommodation clubs and during our stay, they were able to accommodate us in the Presidential Villa with Private Pool (part of the Gold Club) and the futuristic Yachting Villa Waterfront with Private Pool (part of the Platinum Yachting Club).
This historic property is designed with luxury in mind as high profile guests are able to take private helicopters landing on the hotel’s heli-pad and stay in their most private villas. There are four beaches, over a dozen restaurants and bars, several shops, watersports, pools, yacht moorage, gyms, tennis courts, a chapel, and other amenities we didn’t even have a chance to explore. We had everything imaginable available on the property, there was very little reason to leave!
In the Presidential Villa, we had direct access to the sea right from our deck which was such a pleasant surprise. After a quick swim in the refreshing Aegean Sea, I took advantage of the whirlpool tub and ultra luxe steam shower.
We enjoyed an unforgettable dinner at Dionysos, the hotel’s Fine Dining restaurant named after the God of Wine. It was very fitting that they had a legendary wine cellar and an expert sommelier who suggested a beautiful bottle of wine to pair with our meals.
The Yachting Villa was one of the most unique rooms I’ve ever stayed in. Made to feel like you are living in a luxury yacht, this villa offers state of the art technology controlled by wireless touch screen panels and control stations throughout the room.
To cap off our stay, we were surprised with a bottle of champagne and a generous tray of strawberries. We’ll always remember the warmth and attentiveness of the staff who have helped make our stay truly incredible.
This Greece travel diary has been contributed by @kinsonsworld.
